Your Questions About Coffee Shop

admin answers:

Syrups will give you more flavor customization options than flavored beans or creamers.
You definitely want to be open very early in the morning to catch the 3rd shifters trying to stay awake long enough to get home and the 1st shifters trying to wake up enough to go to work. =)
I love coffee, but I never go to coffee shops. I drink my coffee very strong and retail coffee tastes like brown water to me. May I suggest offering one “extra strength” option for people like me?
Just my 2 cents worth.
Best of luck with your new business!!!

admin answers:

1. GOOD COFFEE
simple. Please forgodsake dont use one of those fully automatic bullshit “espresso” machines. This is not real espresso, america!! Real espresso is an art & should be treated as such, despite what the mcdonalds & starbucks of the world have tried to do.
Also: inventive & original drinks. Offer different funky combinations. Give em funny names too, thats always intriguing (oooh!)
2. COOL BARISTAS
ie: interesting personalities, outgoing w/customers, large knowledge of coffee & espresso & allllll kindsa coffee/tea type drinks *mate, matcha, sugarshots, chai, REAL macchiattos, etc* & personable. Yaknow, the type of people who are interested in hearing about someone elses day, or remembering a regulars drink & or name. People who will take it seriously, and truly care about the quality of your products.
3. CHILL ATMOSPHERE
this includes awesome, laid back music *madeleine peyroux, radiohead, nouvelle vague, iron & wine, bob dylan, johnny cash, wilco!, cat power, just to name a few*, visually & mentally stimulating books to read, free WIFI, comfy furniture, local artwork on the walls, etc. You get the idea. Ohyeah, & lamp lighting. Always good. Oh & color, color, color!!
4. OPEN LATE
people like coffee at all times of the day man! Stay open late, i guaruntee youll get a lot of people who’re sick of the bar/club type scene comin in to hang out. Trust me on this one.

Hope this helps <3

admin answers:

I started out with just that question …..

Heres what I did- first I went to the national bank-then to the Small business association- then a local bank- then where I finally got my financing was a local development corp.

The national bank didnt do business loans to businesess that have not already been open for 2 years.
The SBA helped me with spreadsheets and tweaking my business plan to make it more attractive to banks and investors- and also made it look a million times more professional.
The local bank rejected me BASED ON LOCATION- this is important- But I believed in the location – the local bank sent me to the Local development Corp. Who gets grants and loans from the federal government to develop local businesses.

If I could go back and change one thing it would be the LOCATION- my store is located in a small mall- next time I would go for street frontage- I understand where the local bank was coming from now.

The most important thing INSIDE the shop is your espresso machine and your beans- one can be the best in the world – but if the other sucks neither will be what you expected

I discovered that my true love was in the baking of the goodies. After my husbands job forced us to move and sell the shop, I know that my next business will be a bakery- because it is what I truly love to do.

I could tell you not to jump in blindly- but thats exactly what I did- and it worked out great

as for location
any downtown area even in a small city
near a college campus
near a military base
you just need to find your market- and fill in the void.

One other thing you always need to remember is that you are a business person first and a barista second. It is after all a business. And it is hard- but it is worth it!

admin answers:

Sorry, I’ve never heard of this book before. But now it’s on my list, and a name would be welcome. I’ll do my best to hunt it down.

admin answers:

Bourgeois Pig

5931 Franklin Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Overstuffed velvet couches, pool tables and dark painted walls create this neo-Bohemian hang out. Espressos, lattes and assorted tea drinks dominate the coffee-bar style menu. Local artists display their works on the “gallery” walls, while young writers occupy the tables discussing their newest inspirations. The atmosphere is less trendy and more intellectual.

The only downside to this place is finding parking… BTW don’t park in the Mayfair market parking they like to hand out parking tickets there.

admin answers:

When my friend opened his I believe it was roughly $40k. He went in with another friend so they split the cost. Not terribly expensive. However he had a very large dining area, so a smaller one would probably cut costs. However you need to consider prices of overhead will vary depending on City. Make sure you pick a location which will be lucrative, as his coffee shop only survived 5 years before going under. Make the necessary planning steps.

1. Obtain the necessary business licenses. Check with your local government office to find out which licenses and permits you need for your coffee shop and how to apply.

2. If you plan to operate your coffee business out of your home, check with your local government office about zoning ordinances and possible land use restrictions

3. Put together a business plan. You can find downloadable business plan templates online, which make business plan writing easy. (Coffee Bar | Cafe | Cyber Cafe | Bakery)

4. Set up a business bank account with your local bank. Make sure that the bank is FDIC is insured. It is important to keep your coffee business and personal finances separate, and often your banker can help with small business loans or financing.

5. Arrange a meeting with an accountant to discuss tax strategies and ways to maximize your business tax deductions. You can get referrals from other business owners you know or sometimes your banker.

6. File your fictitious business name with the county clerk, or if you want to form a corporation, find out the advantages of incorporating your business

7. Meet with an insurance agent to discuss insurance you may need for your cafe. The IIABA (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America) is a good place to start. You can also get free quotes online for Free Business Insurance Quotes

8. Set up your business phone system. Whether you use a toll-free 800 phone number, a multi-line phone system, VoIP or simply add an additional phone number to your existing service, you’ll want a designated line to establish a professional business image.

9. Order business cards. One of the cheapest ways I know of to advertise a business. See how you can design your own professional business cards online, plus simple tips for increasing your sales >> Free Business Cards

10. Get a website. Save money by creating your own website with simple online design programs, or outsource the job to an affordable website designer. Whether you sell coffee products online – or you use a website to display cafe menus or business hours, it’s important to take advantage of this low-cost marketing resource that can help you get more customers.

Good Luck.